No. 14 Eagles Storm Back to Defeat No. 5 Northwest Florida in Conference Home Opener

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — JANUARY 10, 2026 The No. 14-ranked Tallahassee State men's basketball team delivered a statement victory on Saturday night, rallying from a double-digit halftime deficit to defeat No. 5 Northwest Florida State College, 66–59, in its conference home opener.

The win marks Tallahassee State's first conference home opener victory since the 2022–23 season and extends the Eagles' winning streak to 10 games. With the result, Tallahassee State improves to 18–1 overall and opens conference play at 1–0.

After trailing by 10 points at halftime, the Eagles flipped the game in the second half with relentless defense and a red-hot shooting performance. Tallahassee State outscored Northwest Florida 46–29 after the break, shooting 50 percent from the field and 53.8 percent from three-point range in the second half.

Freshman guard Shane Cherry led all scorers with a game-high 25 points, knocking down three three-pointers, including two massive shots during a decisive second-half run that gave the Eagles their first lead of the game. From that point forward, Tallahassee State never looked back.

Rodmik Allen added 11 points, all coming in the second half, while contributing across the stat sheet with six rebounds and three assists. His energy and physicality helped fuel the Eagles' comeback on both ends of the floor.

Tallahassee State's defense was equally impactful, forcing turnovers that led to 12 points and holding Northwest Florida to just 35.7 percent shooting in the second half. The Eagles also won the rebounding battle 38–33 and showed composure down the stretch in a game that featured nine lead changes.

The Eagles will look to keep the momentum rolling as they hit the road for their next conference matchup at Pensacola. Tallahassee State faces the Pirates on Wednesday, January 14, with tipoff scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET.